New Croton Dam Construction, 1896

This detailed engraving shows the New Croton Dam when it was under construction in 1896. The image was commissioned for the cover of the October 17th issue of Scientific American magazine to accompany an article entitled “New York Water Supply—Present Condition of Work on the Great Croton River Dam.” Christopher Tompkins, author of The Croton Dams and Aqueduct, said this image is “especially noteworthy for its accuracy in depicting the excavation.”

Below is the top section of the engraving showing the dam’s profile on the left and a rendering of how the completed dam would look—including the earthen section on the right that was replaced with masonry during construction.